Senior Jimmy Lawson had an outstanding junior campaign cut short in mid-January by a knee injury. Forced to the sidelines a year ago with his quest for All-America laurels cut short, Lawson is healthy and ready to challenge for the starting spot at 285 again this season. Parents: Pam and James Lawson -- Major: Telecommunications

Lion Career 2013-14: Perfect start to the season with a 5-0 mark at Binghamton Open on 11/10 to win 285-pound title...majored Lock Haven's Brad Emerick on Rec Hall on 11/24...outstanding weekend on 12/6 and 12/8, downing Boston's Kevin Innis 10-3 at BU and then defeating Pitt's P.J. Tasser 3-1 in the BJC...majored Ohio State's Nick Tavenello 15-4 on 12/15...nearly upset #3 Bobby Telford of Iowa on 12/21, losing 3-2 on last second reversal...took third at Southern Scuffle as the 4-seed, including win over #15 Austin Marsden of Oklahoma State...lost 3-1 to #1 Tony Nelson of Minnesota in semis....lost 9-4 to #8 Adam Chalfant of Indiana on 1/17 the injured in first period, taking injury default loss to #4 Mike McMullan of Northwestern on 1/19.

2012-13: Defeated Jon Gingrich 3-2 in Intrasquad Dual on 11/1....made Nittany Lion wrestling debut with 9-0 major over WVU senior Phil Mandzik on 11/18 in dual at West Virginia...won Mat-Town Open title on 12/24...picked up four wins but 2-0 officially (he wrestled two non-rostered wrestlers)....made NLO debut by advancing to the finals at 285 on 12/2 before losing, going 4-1 with a pin and major to take second place, beat #13 Odie Delaney of The Citadel in the semifinals...went 4-2 to take 7th at the Southern Scuffle on 1/1-2...lost 8-1 to #3 Alan Gelogaev of Oklahoma State in quarters...took seventh with pin of #14 Levi Cooper of Arizona State...went 4-0 (plus one win over non-collegiate) to win Hitchcock Open on 1/20...picked up first career Big Ten dual meet win with 9-4 victory over Chris Lopez of Illinois on 2/3.,,tough 5-4 loss to #8 Zac Thomusseit at Pittsburgh on 2/8...was beating #12 Peter Capone 6-0 at Ohio State on 2/10 when Capone took injury forfeit with Lawson getting six-point team win.

High School/Personal
Lawson transferred to Penn State prior to last season after two years of playing college football at Monmouth University in New Jersey. Lawson will have three years of wrestling eligibility remaining for the Nittany Lion wrestlers. An outstanding high school wrestler, Lawson was a three time New Jersey state champion and a freestyle senior national champion as well. Lawson was a four-year letterman in wrestling and football at MTHS and played in the New Jersey North South football all-star game.